St. Theresa Riiji Health Center

ST. THERESA RIIJI HEALTH CENTER P.O. BOX 2572 -60200 MERU - KENYA

9th March 2015

Global Giving 111 Vermont Avenue NW Suite 550 Washington, DC 20005 USA.

Dear Director

RE: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHILDREN’S WARD AT ST. THERESA RIIJI HEALTH CENTER:

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:

PROJECT TITLE: Request for financial assistance for the completion of the construction of children’s ward at St. Theresa Riiji health center.

REQUESTING ORGANIZATION: The requesting organization is called St. Theresa Riiji health center.

LEGAL HOLDER: Registered trustees of Meru diocese

CONTACT PERSON: Sr. Maria Goretti Nabwami.

E MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]

MAILING ADDRESS: St. Theresa Riiji health center P. O. Box 2572 - 60200 Meru - Kenya

RESPONSIBLE PERSON: Sr. Maria Goretti Nabwami

PROJECT LOCATION: St. Theresa Riiji health center is located in Abothuguchi west eastern province Meru central district under the slopes of Mount Kenya near the thick forest in Meru diocese in Kenya.

BACKGROUND OF THE HEALTH CENTER: St. Theresa Riiji health center started in 1979 as a small Aid post to answer the cry of the communities for the health services. It was meant to reduce on morbidity and mortality rate in the area. With the help of donors and contribution of the local community St. Theresa Riiji health center has managed to construct the following:  Out Patient Department.  There is a new block which is meant to be a storage building and the ground floor is not yet completed and it is used as children’s ward.

PROBLEM STATEMENT: There is nowhere to admit children who are seriously sick and this has increased on the morbidity and mortality rate of the children in the area. When they are referred to hospital as it is far some do reach there others decide to go back to their homes. If the children ward will be completed at least children will receive the services from nearby thus reduce on the morbidity and mortality rate of the children.

PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS:

St. Theresa Riiji is ranked as health center 111. It has an out – patient department (OPD), admission ward for children is not yet completed. The health center is still in search for funds for the completion of the children ward. Maternity services are offered in an improvised room.

The health unit offers treatment to all patients that come at the center. Everyday we receive an average of 20 patients. Unmanageable cases of patients are normally referred to hospitals which are Nkubu or Meru hospital respectively.

. We carry out antenatal care and counseling services for pregnant mothers, many of whom, except for complicated cases, are delivered at the health center. The complicated ones are referred to hospital. . Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS. . We immunize children less than five years against the eight killer diseases. . We also carry out HIV/ AIDS programs mainly targeting the youth. . Mobile clinics /Primary health care. . Laboratory services. .

MAJOR OBJECTIVES: To complete the construction of children ward where all services regarding children will be offered.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

 To strengthen and create conducive place for the admission of the children

 To reduce the morbidity and mortality rate of the children.

OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLICANT’S JOB: Sr. Maria Goretti Nabwami (the writer) is the in charge of St. Theresa Riijit the health center. I belong to the family of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church, found in Northern Uganda in the Diocese of Lira. I am both registered nurse midwife (double registered). As an in charge of the health center I am charged with the following responsibilities like: a) Planning for the health center especially all the above mentioned activities. b) Supervising the qualified staff and support staff of the health center. c) Controlling the income and expenditure of the health center. d) Ensuring proper running of the health center and purchase of equipments and drugs of the health center. e) As directed by the Kenya Ministry health regulations, I also serve as a secretary to the health Unit Management committee

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE: St. Theresa Riiji health center has a Health Unit Management Committee which is composed of 11 members. This health unit management is a policy and governing body of the health center. LOCAL CONTEXT: Economically, the people of the area are poor peasants that carry out farming on small plots of fragmented exhausted land.

Socially, people live in scattered villages with an average of 5 children per family.

Politically, the people experience a sense of political stability.

I hope my request will be put into considerations

Yours sincerely

Sr. Maria Goretti Nabwami

BILL OF QUANTITIES FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHILDREN’S WARD AT ST. THEREZA RIIJI HEALTH CENTER IN MERU DIOCESE IN KENYA: Local contribution 35,000 U.S.D 437.5 Euro 312.5 Amount Requested 1,298,800 U.S.D 16,235 Euro 11,596.42 Total project cost 1,333,800 U.S.D 16,672.5 Euro 11,908.92